If you aren't sure where you stand on the issues, don't feel alone. The world
we live in becomes more complex every single day. Is the earth as fragile as
some would have us believe or has it endured because it's quite resilient? You
decide. These issues are not going away and will continue to plague us with
complex problems that will require us all to make hard decisions.

You will find plenty of food for thought and information to contemplate. Be
sure to check back often.

You spent 20 minutes sifting through loads of produce and walked away with perfectly delicious gems. Don't let your prizes spoil: read these pro tips on storing the most popular fruits and vegetables so you can enjoy them when you want to.

Any gardener knows that having the right soil can make all the difference in achieving great results in the garden. Unfortunately, not every garden is blessed with nutrient-dense, high-quality soil. Raised bed gardening is the perfect solution.

A raised bed is basically a large, above-ground planter, with walls ranging from 6-24 inches high. Generally these beds are encased in some sort of frame usually wood, concrete or stone. Raised beds are a convenient gardening option, but they aren't without their downfalls. One downside is that they must generally be cultivated by hand. Garden tillers are almost impossible to use in a raised bed.

Ever wondered how you can enjoy delicious, homegrown tomatoes without a sprawling garden? The unruly nature of tomato bushes and vines might seem hard to contain.

Since tomatoes are a favorite veggie, the ability to grow them easily in pots on a small patio or even on a rooftop in the middle of a bustling city makes them a preferred choice for gardeners. Here are the keys for growing tomatoes successfully in a container.

Peru's government has declared a 90-day water quality emergency in several northern jungle districts where two oil spills occurred due to ruptures of a pipeline operated by state-owned oil company Petroperu.

The first rupture of the North Peruvian Pipeline occurred on Jan. 25 in the municipality of Imaza-Chiriaco, Amazonas region, where between 2,000 and 3,000 barrels of crude were spilled over the three days it took Petroperu to repair the conduit.

More than 90 percent of the crude spilled in the Peruvian Amazon due to two breaches of an oil pipeline has now been recovered, President Ollanta Humala said.

In a visit to the Las Bambas mine in the southern Andean region of Apurimac, Humala lamented the spills and pledged to identify those responsible and determine the appropriate penalty for state-owned oil company Petroperu, the operator of the North Peruvian Pipeline, the conduit affected by the ruptures.

WEST YELLOWSTONE, Mont. - Protestors with the Buffalo Field Campaign fan out across southeastern Montana this week to raise awareness about the planned hunt and slaughter of about 900 Yellowstone bison by the National Park Service.

The herd numbers around 4,900 and every year, some animals migrate into Montana, where they're either shot or spooked with all-terrain vehicles or helicopters to drive them back into the park, mostly by cattle ranchers who say they're concerned the bison might spread brucellosis.

A huge win is being celebrated by animal lovers, as the FBI just added animal cruelty to the list of Class A felonies. To put that in perspective, homicide and arson are also Class A felonies, so this new change is very significant.

The FBI defines animal cruelty as: "Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly taking an action that mistreats or kills any animal without just cause, such as torturing, tormenting, mutilation, maiming, poisoning, or abandonment."

Sonora, CA - With snow levels dipping low this evening in the Mother Lode, it has resulted in traffic hazards and power outages.

The CHP reports that Tuolumne Road has been a traffic nightmare with several vehicles getting stuck. It is an area to avoid if possible. Twain Harte grade has also been a problem area. In addition, there have been power outages reported in both Tuolumne and Calaveras Counties. PG&E reports that 4,412 customers are without electricity in a region stretching from Phoenix Lake over to Soulsbyville, and even into parts of Tuolumne. There is also an outage impacting 102 customers near Confidence. You can call 1-800 PGE 5000 to report an outage, or to try to get information on a specific neighborhood.

There's no way to work in these waters, where you are literally neck deep in feces in some places, and not be afraid of the health effects.

According to the AP's 2013 report, "In the neon green waters around the site of the future Olympic Park, the average fecal pollution rate is 78 times that of the Brazilian government's 'satisfactory' limit - and 195 times the level considered safe in the U.S."

It came as no surprise, to those following the ongoing nuclear melt-downs at Fukushima, and the continuation of pouring seawater to cool the Corium masses, the T.E.P.C.O would "simply run out of room" for the highly radioactive waste water.

TEPCO has no choice but to pour the cooling water straight back into the Pacific Ocean from whence it came, after assurances that this practice was never going to happen. The implications and ramifications for the Pacific ocean, and food chains around the world, is a fact and an eventuality, no longer a possibility. As this is a first time Global crisis phenomenon, there is no data, no science and no research to lead us on with a solution, nor guide us with any protective measures as to the ongoing crisis. TEPCO released the following information on sheer volume of the highly toxic, deadly radiocative releases going on, on a daily basis from Fukushima.